Pssstt.. "I write romance." Shhhh!!!

So tell me... when did killing, abuse and hate become respectable and love and romance take a back seat?
This year's Christmas letters to my family included my exciting news about my book contracts. In the replies I had many different responses. But the one that stuck out was,

"Well done on your writing, though I won’t judge you for your choice of material."

Wow, sounds like judgment to me. But this response wasn't the only one like it. And whats funny is what some of these people choose to read they see as respectable, but my stories are not???

When did the killing / death chase of Steven King become respectable and the love / romance chase become something that needs to be hidden? Don't get me wrong... I enjoy Steven King's books. Well some of them anyway.

I know I should expect this response but WOW! I mean... Wow! It isn't like anyone other than my publisher, editor and cp's have read my stories yet so how can anyone pass judgment before they even come out?

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Abby MacInnis for winning the free download of Having Faith, and Julie Robinson for winning Eternal Obsession. I hope your Christmas glows all the more after reading such wonderful books by two very talented authors. Contact me at catherinebybee@yahoo.com so I can see that Nancy O'Berry and Dayana Knight have your e-mail addresses.

Interview With Author Dayana Knight

Today I’m interviewing Dayana Knight, Paranormal Romance Novelist. And in celebration of her release she is giving away a free download of her Scarlet release, Eternal Obsession. All you have to do is comment on this blog and Dayana will pick a winner at random.

I first started chatting with Dayana back in October during one of her many blogs and contests, and soon found we had a lot in common. In October, her first title with The Wild Rose Press was released, Curse of the Marhime (Roma Wolf Tales Book I). Just by reading the title you have a clear idea of what this book is about. * Rubbing my hands together. I just love curses and wolves. *

Now she has another title being released, Eternal Obsession. Since this story is under the Scarlet label at TWRP, it promises to be one spicy read. *Oh, that hand rubbing thing is happening again. Sounds like obsessive Vampires to me.* But I’ll let Dayana tell you all about her newest book.

Welcome to my little corner of the cyber world, Dayana. Why don’t you tell everyone a little bit about you.

Thank you, Catherine. I am thrilled to be here today and extremely excited about my new release, Eternal Obsession.

Hmm…

Tell you a bit about myself, eh? Okay, here goes…

I grew up in Southern New Jersey, but later picked up and moved to Southern Florida back in ’85 where I will probably die. I love the Florida winters much better than the Northeastern ones, though I do miss the change of seasons, particularly Autumn colors, Winter snow, when you don’t have to go anywhere and can just enjoy it, and let’s not forget Spring and the beautiful burst of color and blooms. I am an avid animal lover, love the beach, the woods, and traipsing through century-old cemeteries, and scarey stories told deep in the night. Ever since I remember, I loved listening to ghost stories, wandering through old abandoned houses/buildings and imagining who lived and breathed within their walls. I read and watched anything paranormal I could get my hands on. I dabbled and studied white magic as a teen (the dark arts or black magic always made me a wee bit nervous) *grin* and I have always been infatuated with the sensual lore of the vampire and werewolf.

I have loved books and reading since a very young age and created my own stories and poems beginning at the age of eleven. I had creative writing classes in Junior and Senior High School as well. However, I hadn’t taken the craft seriously until more recently.

Favorite holidays: Halloween(Pagan) and Christmas(Christian). Conflicting but I love both and go way out for both as far as decorations. And btw, sums up my personality, as wellJ

Favorite movies: Blood and Chocolate, Van Helsing, and the Lord of the Rings Series—Love Aragorn/Viggo *sssshhh…*

Favorite books: J. R. Ward, The Black Dagger Series, anything Laurel K Hamilton writes, both the Faery and Vampire/werewolf series, Katie McAllister and several others I can’t think of at the moment, but you get the idea.


Tell us about Eternal Obsession. How did you come up with the idea for this book?

Eternal Obsession was actually a short story entitled “Of Love, Blood, and Eternity” that I’d put together for a contest back in 2000 and actually won. It is a period vampire short that I dusted off, fleshed out a bit more and spiced up-if you know what I mean-with the idea of breaking into the art of erotic writing. My writing leans toward the extremely sensual end anyway so this particular project is my erotic debut. I was thrilled when Diana Carlile, my editor at the Wilder Rose end of The Wild Rose Press liked and accepted the story. I hope to write many more.


What else are you working on?

I have a companion story to Curse of the Marhime set to release June 2009 at The Wild Rose Press entitled, Bestial Cravings, that will introduce some additional characters into my Roma Wolf Tale series. Book II, currently untitled, is in the works as we speak.


Where else can we find you on-line?

You can find me at my website and my blogspot.

Eternal Obsession by Dayana Knight

Life is precious or so we are told. But what of love? How can one distinguish between immortal love and mortal life?

Tia must discover which is more important, for her lover walks the night and has given her a choice only she can make. Will she agree to be 'turned' or will she watch her love and life walk away forever?

Cursed by a witch long ago, Andres is doomed to wander the night for all eternity, feeding upon the elixir of life and forever alone. Until he finds Tia. But he will not sway his love's decision. She must consent to be his of her own accord, or he will walk forever out of her life.

Is love and lust strong enough to bind them for all time or is eternal obsession all they will ever share?


To order your copy of Eternal Obsession visit The Wilder Roses.

Thank you, Dayana for taking the time to chat with us today. I just love the Rosettes. They fit so perfectly into my busy schedule this time of year.

Interview with Nancy O'Berry

Author Nancy O’Berry

Today I’m interviewing one of my critique partners and someone I like to call my friend. Now before I ask Nancy questions so you can all get to know her a little better, I’m going to tell you a little story.

Sometime last summer, Nancy and I hooked up over at The Trellis at The Wild Rose Press. Funny thing is… In this critique group you are asked what romance genre you write and what you’d like to critique. If I’m not mistaken I wrote down that I really didn’t care much for westerns at the time, and Nancy really didn’t do erotic. Well to make a long story short, Nancy wanted a second set of eyes to look at a historical western and I went ahead and raised my hand. She sent me a few chapters which I really liked and we started exchanging regular e-mails. Then one night, via Instant Messenger, Nancy chimed in and said.. “Oh, oh, oh… I have a great idea about three women working in a brothel. One is named Faith, the other Hope and the last, Charity.” She went on to send me her opening scene of Faith’s story. At this point I screamed over the internet – well as much as one can on-line. “Stop working on your current WIP and write these stories.” I mean come on folks, the women working the oldest profession in the book whose names are Faith, Hope and Charity? What’s not to love about that?

And so the birth, as I see it, of the Sweetbriar Academy was born.

So please welcome, Nancy O’Berry. And yes, you heard it right. Nancy will randomly pick a winner out of all who post a comment on this blog for a free download of Having Faith. I believe she’ll be drawing a name at ‘High Noon’ December 13th. Grin. Virginia time.

Welcome Nancy, why don’t you tell the cyber world a little about you.

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother. My husband and I have been married for over 30 years. We have three children a girl, and two boys. Our house is never dull. One son is still at home, believes he’s Ben Cartwright has been raising cows in my backyard. The last bunch would not get in the cattle trailer to go off to “THE SALE” so I had to get them in there. I told him no more unless I could keep them. So we have two heifers, Abilene and Esmeralda.

I have been writing for many years without the courage to send to an editor or agent until 2006. I belong to an online chapter of RWA and another chapter that meets once a month near the mall in Chesapeake, Virginia. I have written a fantasy story about mermaids finding love and these three stories taking place in the 1870’s with that western feel. There are many others on my computer in various stages of completion so I do suffer from writers ADD.

I have a critique group and Catherine is one of those folks who keeps me on the straight and narrow. I am working on a group for authors to promote their work and for readers and fans. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nancyoberryromance/



Tell us about Having Faith.

Wait, I have to open my fan because to talk about Faith, one has to have the presence of a southern belle. Ah, yes, Faith.

Faith is an interesting concept. I wanted to do a story about a woman set in a historical period but the morals were so constricting. It was considered a Victorian no no for women to even enjoy sex but you could not allow your husband to forgo using your body because it made a man unsettled. Quite a contradiction, so in this quandary, I created Sweetbrier Academy a high end brothel that served gentlemen in the class of Leland Stanford, Diamond Jim Brady and such. I wanted then to have a comfortable feel so I set them from the south.

I had done some research on the Civil War, or what my grandmother called the “Late Great Unpleasantness” and found that General Butler or the Beast as he was referred to when he left Hampton Virginia to take control of New Orleans placed an military law against fraternizing with “loose women”. “Nawlins” as we southerners call it has always been a mystical place for high romance so such edicts would have cut into “the business”. Truth be told, the “ladies” had his likeness put in the bottom of chamber pots in order to relieve themselves on his face and often saved the full pots to toss on the Union soldiers as they went by. Hence poor Miss Opal and her “ladies” decided that it might be a bit more profitable to move to the Wyoming territory and set the tale just after the War of Rebellion.

In this story, Faith has been given the chance to find a sponsor or a paramour that will provide her with money for a year or longer. Miss Benedict gets together a card game with several men from the railroad that have very large pockets. The game will be played in the backroom of the house away from distractions. The winner of the last hand wins a night with Faith.

There is a slight hitch in Miss Benedicts’ plan when her own paramour Howard Stetson comes up a man short. Big John the bouncer is sent out into the house to find another hand. The card player chosen is none other than a Calvary officer, Major Abrams. Quite a spit and polish dandy he is. Yet, he has been rather rough with the women and his reputation precedes him. In the mix of gamblers, a young man by the name of Thaddeus Oakley stands out. There is an immediate attraction between he and Faith that rankles the Major. Of course, Mr. Oakley fought for the Southern cause which doesn’t help his standings in the Major’s eyes. As luck will have it these two gentlemen will be the last two players pitted for the pot.

Discretion will not allow me to reveal the ending. However being the first in the series, Faith will have a promise of a happy ending, but to find out for sure, I’m afraid the reader my have to pick up a copy of Hope to see.

Having Faith will come out at Red Rose Publishing on December 11th, for $2.99.


How soon can we expect Hope and Charity’s stories?

Both Hope and Charity are at the editors now. I hope to be editing the second book through the holidays and have it ready for release in the New Year, sometime in January. Charity is a much longer story that Hope so they have each grown as Sweetbrier develops I hope she will be given the go ahead by February. But you will have to check to see. Charity right now is the only multicultural character I have done.



Where else can we find you on-line?

Oh my dear, I am around. You can get find me at my website.
On the second pages are several free reads one called the HOLD UP that was featured on LASR another TEXAS WALTZ was featured on Coffeetime Romance

Please feel free to get in touch with me at Ms. Opal's Myspace.
or at my MySpace.
my blog is
I love to hear from readers.

Here is a bit of what you’ll see in Having Faith.


In side the room, she moved in deliberate slow motion pulling out the drawer and replaced the new deck of cards on the table. The pot seemed to shimmer ominously in the lamp light. The fun of the evening soiled by the argument and crass words, Faith wondered what Miss Benedict could possibly be saying to each man.

Her unsteady hand tipped the decanter pouring the sweet wine into the fluted glass. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tilted the goblet back allowing the drink to slide between her lips. The taste sweet, she felt the false sense of warmth move along her backbone. She didn’t want to prolong the end. If the winner proved to be the Major, the night would be one long ordeal.

Dropping her head she took a deep ragged breath. “Please, let it be Oakley,” she prayed placing the glass on the tray. It’s just a job. She told herself, you must not think anything more than it’s just a job. A way to gain my future. As the door opened, Faith did her best to plaster a smile upon her lips and greeted the players.

Neither Mr. Oakley nor Major Abrams looked her in the eye. Faith glanced to the older gentlemen. Mr. Stetson gave her a reassuring wink. She felt a bit of relief. As the men mulled around their chairs, the door opened one last time and Miss Benedict entered.

Fire Update

On a previous blog I wrote about the fires that devastated many parts of Southern California. My own personal drama being little more than a few sleepless nights and the constant hum of helicopters buzzing over my home.

Yesterday I needed to drive around the hillside that is visible in the pictures I posted here and saw first hand the destruction of what those fires did. The media has stopped talking about homes lost. Stopped informing the public of the tragic end to many peoples day to day lives. But as I drove on the 210 Freeway I prepared myself for what I knew was there. And then I saw it. My heart literally jumped in my throat. Tears sprang to my eyes at the absolute annihilation of an entire community. It was without a doubt one of the most powerful moments in my life. Perhaps you don't understand what that means because many of you only know me through my romance writing. But folks, I've seen many, many things. A ER trauma nurse is what I normally call myself. But this image of home after home, 500 of them, reduced to ashes was nothing short of horrific.

Now whenever I see a news broadcast about a 'community ravaged by...' I'll have a picture set in my mind. For many years to come.

A taste. Just a little taste.

Sometimes all you need for a little inspiration is a picture. And this my friends is very inspiring.

A taste of my newly contracted erotic rosette.

Un-edited - all the mistakes you find are mine. I own them. grin

KILT WORTHY

Posing my camera over my eye I searched the urban landscape for something, anything that screamed out art. Harsh lines of stone and glass buildings rose above my head, but that wasn't art. Mercedes, BMWs, Fords and old jalopies on their last legs whizzed past, but this wasn't art either.

Then I saw him, tall, dark and oh so sexy. Arms marched in time with his legs as the shutter went crazy under my itching finger. People stopped and watched as he walked by, how could they not? He stood out like priceless art should. Manly stubble formed on his strong jaw lowered to sun kissed skin visible through the v of his shirt. Licking my lips, I focused my camera lower. Knees peer from under his kilt and suddenly I felt the desire to move to Scotland.

My subject stopped, giving me time to zoom in and get a better angle. I fired off ten more pictures before raising my lens to get a closer shot of his confident face.

His eyes were chocolate brown and full of mirth. And they stared directly at me.

My mouth went dry as my camera fell from my face. Mr. Kilt lifted his strong hand up and with one little motion of his finger summoned me to his side.

"Oh, God," I whispered to myself. Now what should I do?

Before I could move, he started toward me. My heartbeat rose at an alarming speed. I should run, but my legs refused to budge. He's going to tell me to delete my pictures of him. He has every right to do so, after all they are his. Or at least, they felt like his.

Clenching my camera to my side, I swallowed as he came closer. His eyes raked over me. I stood in old jeans and a worn out sweatshirt that said 'Bite me' on it. I wasn't even wearing make up. I ran out of my studio apartment anxious to catch the morning sun and thought nothing of my appearance. Now I regretted that decision with such disdain that I dug my nails into my palms to keep from crying out. Life was so damn unfair.